[juergenw]

No trouble application through a HK tarvel agent - they will be at least able to get you a L (tourist visa) for a max of 2x entry - but probably restricted to the aera you indicate to the travel agent. The "hotel booking" + "return flight booking" they will arrange for you - this comes at a price for approx HKD 1,500.

F visa is only issued when you provide following documents:
- a VISA NOTIFICATION LETTER issued by either a Security Office or a Chamber of Commerce or some Foreign Ministry Department in the city you want to travel. You need an official letter from your company + a letter from your inviter including all your personal details etc
- hotel booking + return flight ticket

Yes and here comes the point: If you go by MTR to Lowu and then for example to Dongguan by train and you go back to HK in the evening the same day - so what is your hotel booking + return ticket then ?
Okay no need hotel booking they will tell you - but they want to see your return ticket - then you simply show them your OCTOPUS CARD - because this is the real return ticket out of CHINA + not the train ticket back from Dongguan to Lowu - because in Lowu you are still in CHINA !
This already shows the complete nonsense of the whole regulation.

[BenderBends]

do you think they will catch people on L visa .. but really there working? and if they do catch you...what is the damage?

i think it will be quite difficult to obtain and provide a new "visa notification letter" EVERY time (every week in my case) when applying for a double entry F visa.

[hktraveller]

I am just back from a daytrip to Luo Hu. It is a historic day. The first time in almost 20 years that I don't know when I can go to China again, because my multiple F expires today.

I went to the Visa counter to ask if the 5 days option was still available. It is at least for Germans, if they hold a HK ID. I have an old one that is not valid anymore (and since I don't work in HK anymore, I cant get the new one). Today they would have accepted it, but I had the impression the guy didn't know that the old cards are not valid anymore. So I am not sure what would happen when there is a different guy next time.

But: If you hold a valid HK ID, as per today the 5 days are still available (to some nationalities at least).

[Mat]

Some more news:

- With immediate effect, the P.R. of China Visa Office in Hong Kong will no longer process same-day China visa issuances.
- Effective 1 July 2008, all Singapore passport holders visiting China will no longer be extended the visa waiver concession and should from then on, apply for a China visa when traveling to China.
- With immediate effect, all Japanese passport holders stay over 15 days in China must apply his/her China visa in person.

[FilipH]

Am a European with an F visa and just went from shenzhen to hongkong and back to shenzhen : no trouble at the border and definitly no revoking of the current multiple entry visa.

by the way : have a taiwan girlfriend that applied and got a one year multiple entry visa to china. she applied from Taiwan around the 7th of april. Took 2 weeks to get it it though.

[drumist]

I have a chinese L visa i got in New York.It is good until Aug 14 2oo8.Under entries it has m.The duration of stay is 120 daysI came to Luoyang Henan Aug 25 2007.In Dec I went to the local visa office and they gave me a 10 day F visa.In Jan.2008 i came to Hong kong and got a 2 entry F visa and re-entered in Feb.In march i got another 2 entry F and re-entered in aprill.My question is,is the 120 day L visa still valid.It was not cancelled

[juergenw]

How many passports do you have with so many China Visa inside - I guess you are making a joke........Cheers

[FilipH]

Originally Posted by drumist

I have a chinese L visa i got in New York.It is good until Aug 14 2oo8.Under entries it has m.The duration of stay is 120 daysI came to Luoyang Henan Aug 25 2007.In Dec I went to the local visa office and they gave me a 10 day F visa.In Jan.2008 i came to Hong kong and got a 2 entry F visa and re-entered in Feb.In march i got another 2 entry F and re-entered in aprill.My question is,is the 120 day L visa still valid.It was not cancelled

If it is not cancelled (= that red stamp on it), then it should be valid ...

[Boris]

Maybe not if the officer sees other visa issued after the date of the L. I think he would naturally assume its canceled.
You will just have to see when you get there.

[PDLM]

I don't see why it should be - an L is Tourist/Visit Relatives, F is Business. So it is perfectly valid to have both concurrently for different trips. The fact that many people do business on L visas shouldn't make it a problem for drumist, who actually seems to be abiding by the letter of the visa regulations.